The present invention relates to the field of ornamental light strings. More specifically, the present invention is a device useful for creating letters or written messages using ornamental light strings and the like.
It can be appreciated that holiday decorating has become a popular activity. The number of houses and businesses in any given urban area that actively decorate exterior surfaces is increasing at a significant rate. Indeed, in many areas, neighbors and neighborhoods participate in decorating contests, where individual neighbors or neighborhoods attempt to create the most aesthetically pleasing display.
Currently, the primary component in building or outdoor displays lies with ornamental light strings. These are light strings have a plurality of individual light elements electrically connected either in-series or in-parallel. These ornamental light strings are usually attached to edges of buildings or windows to create an outline effect. Other effects are the spiral encirclement of a tree or other vertical object, or extensions across surfaces to create a lined or gridded effect. Recently, there have been efforts to create additional effects with light strings, such as the currently popular xe2x80x9ciciclexe2x80x9d light strings, which hang vertically from an edge to create the illusion of icicles hanging from the eaves in the winter.
One problem with holiday decorating has been the inability to easily and conveniently create written messages. A typical user creates a written message by either focusing a spotlight on a board containing the written message or by laboriously laying a light string out in the form of letters and stapling, or otherwise fastening, the light strings to a background. Neither of these methods is convenient and easy to create, thereby making the use of written messages in the decorating schemes available only to a dedicated few.
There have been a few attempts at creating display devices for creating convenient letters. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,555,163; 5,709,462; and 5,813,747. These devices, however, are fairly complex and do not solve all of the problems associated with the easy and convenient creating of lighted written messages. Thus, they have not found commercial success. Therefore, there is a present and continuing need for devices that allow the easy and convenient creating of lighted written messages used in holiday decorations.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that allows the easy and convenient creating of lighted written messages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a device wherein individual elements of an ornamental light string may be arranged to form a discrete letter.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a device that forms individual letters using ornamental light strings and further where several of these devices may be connected to form written messages or communications.
It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a letter display device that may be mounted onto a property or surface, such as yards, buildings, fences, and the like, wherein the letter display forms illuminated letters by the appropriate insertion of individual light elements of an ornamental light string into specified apertures of a plurality of apertures.
The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its structure and its operation together with the additional object and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and claims be given the ordinary and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable art or arts. If any other meaning is intended, the specification will specifically state that a special meaning is being applied to a word or phrase. Likewise, the use of the words xe2x80x9cfunctionxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cmeansxe2x80x9d in the Description of Preferred Embodiments is not intended to indicate a desire to invoke the special provision of 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7112, paragraph 6 to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7112, paragraph 6, are sought to be invoked to define the invention(s), the claims will specifically state the phrases xe2x80x9cmeans forxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstep forxe2x80x9d and a function, without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or act in support of the function. Even when the claims recite a xe2x80x9cmeans forxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cstep forxe2x80x9d performing a function, if they also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means of step, then the intention is not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7112, paragraph 6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7112, paragraph 6, are invoked to define the inventions, it is intended that the inventions not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function, along with any and all known or later-developed equivalent structures, materials or acts for performing the claimed function.